CT DMV Form Q-1: Seller Steps, Buyer Steps, and Fees

Connecticut DMV Form Q-1, the Supplemental Assignment of Ownership, is a one-page form a seller uses to transfer a vehicle to a buyer when the original certificate of title cannot be handed over.¹ The seller fills it out, signs it, and gives it to the buyer along with the other required paperwork. The buyer then takes everything to a DMV office to register the vehicle in their name. Without a signed Q-1, the DMV will not process the transfer.

When You Need Form Q-1

Two situations call for it, and both involve a sale where the seller cannot produce the original title.

The first is a titled Connecticut vehicle whose title has been lost, damaged, or misplaced. The seller completes Form Q-1 and also Form H-6B (Application for Replacement Certificate of Title), signs both, and gives them to the buyer.²

The second is a vehicle Connecticut never titled in the first place. The state does not issue titles for vehicles more than 20 model years old, so the registration certificate stands in as proof of ownership. The seller still has to complete Form Q-1 to assign ownership, and the buyer takes it to the DMV along with a copy of the most recent registration certificate.³

If you do have the original title, skip Form Q-1 entirely. Sign the assignment section on the back of the title and hand it to the buyer.

What the Seller Fills Out

The seller is the one who completes and signs Form Q-1. It takes the place of the assignment block that would normally sit on the back of the title certificate. Connecticut law requires the seller to include the buyer’s name and address on any assignment of title.⁴

Expect to provide the vehicle identification number, the vehicle’s year, make, and model, the seller’s name and signature, and the buyer’s full name and address. Write legibly. The clerk uses this form to create the ownership record, and any mismatch between the Q-1 and the other paperwork will stall the transaction.

If the original title listed a lienholder, the seller also needs to produce a lien release letter on the lienholder’s letterhead. The DMV will not process the transfer without it. For loans that originated more than ten years ago where the lienholder is out of business or unreachable, the seller can complete Section 2 on Form H-6B or use Form H-115 (Motor Vehicle Ownership Affidavit) instead.²

Form Q-1 is available at any Connecticut DMV office, and the CT DMV website also provides access to the form online.¹

What the Buyer Brings to the DMV

The buyer handles the DMV visit, in person, by appointment at a hub or branch office.³ Walk-ins are generally not accepted for registration and title services. Bring:

Completed Form Q-1 signed by the seller
Form H-6B signed by the seller, for titled vehicles
The vehicle’s most recent registration certificate
Form H-13B (Application for Registration and Title), completed by the buyer
A valid Connecticut insurance card in the buyer’s name for that specific vehicle
Acceptable identification from the DMV’s list of accepted forms
A lien release letter if the original title listed a lienholder

Fees

The buyer pays several fees at the appointment:⁵

Title fee: $25
Duplicate title fee: an additional $25 when Form H-6B is used in place of the original title¹
Lien fee: $10 if a new lien is being recorded
Registration fee: varies by vehicle type. A standard passenger car is $120, a motorcycle is $63, a regular trailer is $28.50
Added surcharges on most registrations: $5 plate fee, $10 administrative fee, Clean Air Act fee of $5 to $15, greenhouse gas fee of $5 to $15, and the Passport to the Parks fee of $24 as of July 1, 2025

Sales tax is also collected at registration. For a standard passenger car bought without a title, the fees alone typically run well above $200 before tax.

After the DMV Appointment

Once the clerk processes the paperwork, the buyer walks out with a registration. The new title is not issued on the spot. It arrives by mail roughly 30 days after the registration date.² If the title does not show up within that window, the buyer can check delivery status through the DMV’s online portal or contact the DMV to file a statement of non-receipt. That typically takes another 30 days to resolve.

What Trips These Transfers Up

Missing or incomplete paperwork is the most common reason these transactions get turned away at the counter.

No lien release. If the original title showed a lienholder and the seller cannot produce a release letter, the DMV will reject the transaction. This catches buyers off guard when the seller insists the loan was paid off years ago but never got the release paperwork.¹
Mismatched names. The name on Form Q-1 must match the name on the registration or title record. If the seller’s name has changed, they may need to update their DMV record first.
No Q-1 at all. Some sellers assume Form H-6B alone is enough. The DMV states plainly that without the Q-1, ownership cannot be transferred.²
No matching insurance card. The buyer must show a Connecticut insurance card in their own name for the specific vehicle being registered. A general declarations page or a card for a different vehicle will not work.

Selling to an Out-of-State Buyer

When the buyer lives outside Connecticut, the process shifts to the buyer’s home state. For non-titled vehicles, the Connecticut registration certificate is the proof of ownership the buyer uses to title and register at home. Each state has its own rules, so the buyer should check with their local DMV before closing the deal.¹ The seller should still complete Form Q-1, because the buyer’s home state will likely want proof that ownership was assigned.

1
Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles. Selling a Vehicle Without a Title
2
Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles. Make Changes to a Car Title at the DMV
3
Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles. Transfer Car Ownership
4
Connecticut General Assembly. Connecticut Code Chapter 247 – Uniform Motor Vehicle Certificate of Title and Antitheft Act
5
Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles. DMV Fees